Description of the Righteous

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Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem

assalamu alaikum

Description of the Righteous (Download Text) |  By: Imam Zaid Shakir
MP3: Listen (detailed explanation of the following)

Description of the Righteous

It is related that a devout worshipper by the name of Humam came to
Imam Al� (May Allah Ennoble his countenance) and asked him to
describe the pious people so vividly that he could almost see them.
Al� responded:

Their speech is truthful; their clothing is moderate;
and they walk with utmost humility. They lower their gaze
from everything Allah has forbidden. They allow their ears to
listen only to that which is beneficial. Their souls accept
exposure to trials and tribulations as easily as others accept
luxurious living.

Were it not for their appointed term, their spirits
would not have remained in their bodies the span of a
twinkling of the eye due to their intense longing for their
Lord. Because the Creator is magnified in their souls,
everything else is viewed as insignificant in their sight. Their
hearts are sober; people are safe from any wickedness from
them; their bodies are slim [they don�t overindulge their
appetites]; their basic needs are few; and their souls are chaste.
They patiently endure the few days they spend in this world
knowing that they will be followed by a long, peaceful
rest�this is the profitable life-transaction which their Lord
has allowed them to enter into. The world desired them;
however, they had no desire for it. It imprisoned them, but
they ransomed their souls from it [with their restraint and
righteous deeds].

At night, their feet are arranged in ranks as they
dutifully recite the Qur�an in slow measured tones. If they
come upon a verse that stimulates [in them] longing [for the
delightful things which Allah has promised] they ponder it,
craving to attain them. Their souls soar due to the intensity of
their longing for those delights. If they come upon a verse
that frightens them [with the threat of Allah�s dreadful
punishment] they hear it reverberating in the depths of their
hearts. They imagine that they hear the dreadful sounds of the
Hellfire in the innermost recesses of their ears. You find them
kneeling down [before their Lord], begging to be liberated
from the Hellfire.

As for their days, they are forbearing, clement scholars.
They are righteous and pious. Fear [of Allah] surrounds them,
piercing them like arrows. One who gazes upon them thinks
that they are sick. However, they are far from being sick.
They are not satisfied with a minimal amount of righteous
deeds, nor do they consider excessive amount of worship to
be great. They see their faults, and they fear that their deeds
won�t be accepted. If someone praises one of them, he says, �I
know myself better than others [know me], and my Lord is
more knowledgeable of me than myself. O Allah, don�t take
me to task for what they say, and make me better than what
they think of me, and forgive me for those sins which they are
unaware of.�

One of the signs [of such a person] is that you observe
strength in his religion. His gentleness is accompanied by
sobriety. His faith is coupled with certainty. He longs for
knowledge. He acts with forbearance. He lives moderately, even
when blessed with wealth. He is humble in his worship. He
endures poverty with dignified grace. He patiently endures
trying circumstances. He seeks his sustenance from the lawful.
He hastens to right guidance. He is agitated if he perceives greed
in himself. He works righteousness all the while trembling,
[fearing that his deeds won�t be accepted]. His greatest concern
is gratitude. He arises in the morn preoccupied with the
Remembrance of God. He goes to bed at night overwhelmed,
apprehensive. He rises in the morning overjoyed. His
apprehension arises from the awareness of his heedlessness. His
joy is caused by the bounties and mercy Allah has showered
upon him. If his soul presses him with something he despises, he
does not concede [to it] and withholds from it what it desires.
The comfort of his eye is that which cannot be eradicated [the
reward of his righteous deeds]. His abstinence is from temporal
things. He mixes clemency with knowledge, and speech with
action. He expects death at any moment. His slips are few
[because of his cautiousness and deliberateness in speech and
actions]. His heart is content. He is easy-going. He is constantly
on guard against assaults upon his religion. His lusts are dead.
His anger is suppressed.

People anticipate goodness from him. They are safe from
any wickedness from him. If he is in the company of the
heedless, he is recorded as being mindful [of his Lord]. He
overlooks those who oppress him. He gives to those who deny
him. He joins relations with those who cut him off. He is far
removed from any indecency. His speech is gentle. You find
nothing bad in him. He is always a source of good. During
calamities, he is composed. In dire straights, he is patient. In
times of ease, he is thankful. He does not oppress those he
dislikes, nor does he sin for the sake of those he loves. He admits
the truth before his witnessing is sought. He preserves all he is
entrusted with. He does not hurl abusive names at people. He
never harms his neighbor, nor does he insult people when he is
experiencing hardship. If he is transgressed against, he perseveres
until Allah takes revenge for him. He relies on himself while he
himself is a source of relief for others [they can rely on him]. He
tires himself for the sake of his salvation, not burdening others in
any way. His distance from those who remove themselves from
him is a form of abstinence, while his drawing near to people is
from his gentleness and mercy. Hence, his distance from people
does not arise from arrogance and haughtiness, nor is his
closeness to them motivated by cunning and treachery.

Hearing this, Humam dropped dead. Imam Al� said,
�This is what I feared would happen to him.�

- From Nahj al-Balagha

Edited by rami

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rami Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Male Joined: 01 March 2000 Status: Offline Points: 2549	Post Options Post Reply Quote rami Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Description of the Righteous Posted: 28 February 2006 at 6:41pm
	Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem assalamu alaikum Description of the Righteous (Download Text) \| By: Imam Zaid Shakir MP3: Listen (detailed explanation of the following) Description of the Righteous It is related that a devout worshipper by the name of Humam came to Imam Al� (May Allah Ennoble his countenance) and asked him to describe the pious people so vividly that he could almost see them. Al� responded: Their speech is truthful; their clothing is moderate; and they walk with utmost humility. They lower their gaze from everything Allah has forbidden. They allow their ears to listen only to that which is beneficial. Their souls accept exposure to trials and tribulations as easily as others accept luxurious living. Were it not for their appointed term, their spirits would not have remained in their bodies the span of a twinkling of the eye due to their intense longing for their Lord. Because the Creator is magnified in their souls, everything else is viewed as insignificant in their sight. Their hearts are sober; people are safe from any wickedness from them; their bodies are slim [they don�t overindulge their appetites]; their basic needs are few; and their souls are chaste. They patiently endure the few days they spend in this world knowing that they will be followed by a long, peaceful rest�this is the profitable life-transaction which their Lord has allowed them to enter into. The world desired them; however, they had no desire for it. It imprisoned them, but they ransomed their souls from it [with their restraint and righteous deeds]. At night, their feet are arranged in ranks as they dutifully recite the Qur�an in slow measured tones. If they come upon a verse that stimulates [in them] longing [for the delightful things which Allah has promised] they ponder it, craving to attain them. Their souls soar due to the intensity of their longing for those delights. If they come upon a verse that frightens them [with the threat of Allah�s dreadful punishment] they hear it reverberating in the depths of their hearts. They imagine that they hear the dreadful sounds of the Hellfire in the innermost recesses of their ears. You find them kneeling down [before their Lord], begging to be liberated from the Hellfire. As for their days, they are forbearing, clement scholars. They are righteous and pious. Fear [of Allah] surrounds them, piercing them like arrows. One who gazes upon them thinks that they are sick. However, they are far from being sick. They are not satisfied with a minimal amount of righteous deeds, nor do they consider excessive amount of worship to be great. They see their faults, and they fear that their deeds won�t be accepted. If someone praises one of them, he says, �I know myself better than others [know me], and my Lord is more knowledgeable of me than myself. O Allah, don�t take me to task for what they say, and make me better than what they think of me, and forgive me for those sins which they are unaware of.� One of the signs [of such a person] is that you observe strength in his religion. His gentleness is accompanied by sobriety. His faith is coupled with certainty. He longs for knowledge. He acts with forbearance. He lives moderately, even when blessed with wealth. He is humble in his worship. He endures poverty with dignified grace. He patiently endures trying circumstances. He seeks his sustenance from the lawful. He hastens to right guidance. He is agitated if he perceives greed in himself. He works righteousness all the while trembling, [fearing that his deeds won�t be accepted]. His greatest concern is gratitude. He arises in the morn preoccupied with the Remembrance of God. He goes to bed at night overwhelmed, apprehensive. He rises in the morning overjoyed. His apprehension arises from the awareness of his heedlessness. His joy is caused by the bounties and mercy Allah has showered upon him. If his soul presses him with something he despises, he does not concede [to it] and withholds from it what it desires. The comfort of his eye is that which cannot be eradicated [the reward of his righteous deeds]. His abstinence is from temporal things. He mixes clemency with knowledge, and speech with action. He expects death at any moment. His slips are few [because of his cautiousness and deliberateness in speech and actions]. His heart is content. He is easy-going. He is constantly on guard against assaults upon his religion. His lusts are dead. His anger is suppressed. People anticipate goodness from him. They are safe from any wickedness from him. If he is in the company of the heedless, he is recorded as being mindful [of his Lord]. He overlooks those who oppress him. He gives to those who deny him. He joins relations with those who cut him off. He is far removed from any indecency. His speech is gentle. You find nothing bad in him. He is always a source of good. During calamities, he is composed. In dire straights, he is patient. In times of ease, he is thankful. He does not oppress those he dislikes, nor does he sin for the sake of those he loves. He admits the truth before his witnessing is sought. He preserves all he is entrusted with. He does not hurl abusive names at people. He never harms his neighbor, nor does he insult people when he is experiencing hardship. If he is transgressed against, he perseveres until Allah takes revenge for him. He relies on himself while he himself is a source of relief for others [they can rely on him]. He tires himself for the sake of his salvation, not burdening others in any way. His distance from those who remove themselves from him is a form of abstinence, while his drawing near to people is from his gentleness and mercy. Hence, his distance from people does not arise from arrogance and haughtiness, nor is his closeness to them motivated by cunning and treachery. Hearing this, Humam dropped dead. Imam Al� said, �This is what I feared would happen to him.� - From Nahj al-Balagha Edited by rami
	Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.

ummziba Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Female Joined: 16 March 2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1158	Post Options Post Reply Quote ummziba Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 March 2006 at 3:51am
	Assalamu alaikum, May Allah reward you, Brother Rami, for posting something that is such a delight to read, such a comfort to the soul and such a goal to strive for! Peace, ummziba.
	Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words...they break my soul ~

fatima Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 04 August 2005 Status: Offline Points: 979	Post Options Post Reply Quote fatima Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 March 2006 at 6:11am
	Bismillah irrahman irrahim Assalamu alaikum MashaAllah doesn't only touch ur heart but takes it into grip, subhanAllah Imaan and taqwa of believers, may Allah swt grant us all a solid state of heart ameen one question though, i have a friend, mention Allah swt, his favours, his punishment or Sayyidina Muhammad (saw) n flow of tears from her eyes, we were talking the other day and she said some times this thought comes to her head that it will be good to have a short life cos she will do less bad deeds and due to the fact that she heard the saying 'whoever loves to meet Allah swt, Allah swt loves to meet him' but then she says istighfar immediately bcos life is a blessing of Allah swt and she dont want to be ungrateful. now recently she is being checked for cancer and she is really calm infact she said to me that i dont really mind cos whatever comes from my lord is always best and sometime i think i cant take this world anymore. do u think this attitude is healthy? wassalam

ummziba Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Female Joined: 16 March 2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1158	Post Options Post Reply Quote ummziba Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 March 2006 at 11:11am
	Assalamu alaikum, Sister Fatima, You might be interested in reading the article I linked to here: http://www.islamicity.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3845& ;PN=1 It might be helpful for you or your friend to read. Peace, ummziba.
	Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words...they break my soul ~

fatima Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 04 August 2005 Status: Offline Points: 979	Post Options Post Reply Quote fatima Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 March 2006 at 4:07am
	Bismillah irrahman irrahim assalamu alaikum JazakAllah khair sis wassalam

Alwardah Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 March 2005 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 980	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alwardah Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 March 2006 at 12:05pm
	Wa Alaikum Salam Masha Allah very enlightening article Bro Rami Thanks for the link sis Ummziba One of my favorite Hadith: Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, �How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is good for him� (Muslim). Salams
	�Verily your Lord is quick in punishment; yet He is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful (Surah Al-An�am 6:165) "Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him is our return" (Surah Baqarah 2: 155)

peacemaker Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Male Joined: 29 December 2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 3057	Post Options Post Reply Quote peacemaker Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 March 2006 at 12:29am
	Assalamu Alaikum! Jazak Allah brother Rami for excellent post on "Righteous". Yes, it should be the goal of every Muslim. Peace
	Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny? Qur'an 55:13